


Picture Perfect

by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead



Series: Countdown Week Prompts [6]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Someday I will write a thing where Nathanael is happy, today is not that day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 09:11:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5369765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead/pseuds/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 6 & 7 of the countdown squished together: the future and unrequited love<br/>Or: Nathanael pines after Marinette, who has everything she ever wanted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Picture Perfect

Nathanael sat back in his chair, surveying his new office. The walls were covered with examples of his work, everything from the comic that had made him famous to the painting he had done as one of his final projects in college. He had done well as an artist, and was the creator of several successful comic series. An easel with an empty canvas stood in the corner. That canvas wouldn't be blank for long, though. He had been commissioned to do a portrait of the family of a classmate from high school. Someone knocked on his door.

"Come on in," he called, straightening in his chair. His assistant opened the door and leaned in.

"The Agreste family is here. They're in the studio," the assistant told him. Nathanael smiled and thanked his assistant, who left. The Agreste family. Nathanael sighed. He'd heard Adrien had gotten married, but he hadn't kept in touch with his high school classmates, so he didn't know much about it. Nathanael had been busy releasing a new series at the time, so he'd been busy. Hadn't there been something about a kid, too? Nathanael shrugged and picked up the canvas on his way out of his office. He would find out soon enough.

When he reached the studio, Adrien was waiting, a toddler in his arms. That toddler had black hair so dark that it almost looked blue. That particular shade of black made Nathanael's heart ache. Marinette...he hadn't heard anything from her since they graduated college. She'd been a budding designer, headed for a potential job with Gabriel Agreste's company, and he'd been pulled into the world of comics.

"Nathanael! It's great to see you!" Adrien exclaimed, shifting the little boy in his arms so he could shake hands with his former classmate.

"It's been too long," Nathanael replied, shaking his hand, then crossing the room and setting the canvas on the studio's easel. Then he picked up a camera; he would start by taking a picture, since the toddler probably wouldn't want to sit and wait while Nathanael painted based on observation. "Where's your wife?"

"She went to the bathroom. She should be back any second," Adrien answered. "This is Cyril, by the way," he added, kissing the toddler's head affectionately. The child giggled and wiggled in his father's arms. Adrien set him down, and Nathanael smiled softly; it seemed Adrien had grown up to become a warm, loving father, everything Gabriel Agreste hadn't been.

"Sorry that took so long; Isabel decided to be adventurous and run off," a woman's voice apologized. Nathanael turned around slowly. He knew that voice, even after so many years. How many had it been? Five? Six? More? Nathanael stopped trying to count back in his head when he saw her. Marinette stood in the doorway, a little girl with blond pigtails beside her. Marinette had grown her hair out, and stopped wearing it up, Nathanael noticed. It was still short, though, not quite reaching her shoulders.

"Bel, what have we told you about running off?" Adrien scolded gently. The little girl pouted.

"But there was a pretty picture," she complained.

"How old are they?" Nathanael asked before either parent could reply. Marinette smiled fondly.

"Isabel is six. Cyril is three," she answered, closing the studio door behind her and walking over to Nathanael. "It's so good to see you, Nath. It's been what, seven years?" Had it really been that long? Nathanael returned her smile, then was caught off guard when she hugged him. "Thanks for doing this. Gabriel wants a family portrait to hang at the house, and Adrien and I don't like his artist," she explained when she pulled back.

"Anything for you," Nathanael said honestly. Marinette. Marinette was Adrien's wife. How had he missed that? Had he been that busy? "Do you have a specific pose in mind?"

"I was thinking maybe Adrien could hold Cyril and I could hold Isabel?" Marinette suggested. Nathanael nodded. The mix-match hair colors would be striking. They were wearing coordinated outfits, he saw now that they were all four together. Marinette wore a black dress with red embroidery, and Adrien was dressed in a black suit with a green tie. Cyril's outfit was a miniature of Adrien's, but with a red tie, and Isabel's dressed matched Marinette's, except the little girl's had green patterns. Nathanel realized Marinette had probably designed and hand made each outfit. As the parents picked up the children and positioned themselves, the artist felt his heart twist. They were a picture-perfect family, and the way Marinette and Adrien looked at each other and their children...

Nathanael pushed down his feelings and focused on the task at hand. Marinette deserved his best work, deserved for him to not let his feelings mess up what she had.


End file.
